Plotting your personal story

I'm enjoying reading "Riting Myth Mythic Writing: Plotting Your Personal Story" by Dennis Patrick Slattery because it meshes well with my interest in mythology as well as the concept that we learn more about ourselves while writing. He uses writing meditations and prompts, of course, rather than looking at the work a writer turns out in hopes of producing published poems or stories.

Every novel and short story I've written has taught me something about myself. I think that's especially true when one writes about his or her passions and special areas of interest. Slattery uses quote from Jose Ortega y Gasset in his book's introduction that sets the tone as well as how I feel about what I like to write:

"Why write, if this too easy activity of pushing pen across paper is not given a certain bull-fighting risk and we do not approach dangerous, agile and two-horned topics."

I knew my novel Sarabande was a risk when I wrote it, for who would accept a man writing about the very personal journey of a woman, especially one that included a sexual assault?  Sure, I need money like everyone else these days and would like to see a groundswell of novel sales or some big magazine checks for my short stories. But every time I write with "big sales" in mind, the writing founders.

My personal story appears too closely linked with my writing interests for me to ever write something I don't care about in hopes of having HarperCollins call. What about you? Is your writing very personal? Do you find that it always seems to press your own hot buttons or throw gasoline on your own issues?

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My interview with author Smoky Zeidel has been posted on Malcolm's Round Table. We talk about her new novel The Storyteller's Bracelet.I enjoyed reading River Dragon Sky and posted my review on Literary Aficionado. I think it needed a stronger plot, but the theme, place setting and characters are compelling.
Have a great weekend and make sure to include time to read.

Malcolm